Posted - 07/20/2012 : 08:20:53 The Oilers have signed Gagner to a 1 year 3.2 million $ contract wich given some of the contracts that have been handed out in recent weeks is a very reasonable amount, But this also says to me the Oilers do not see Gagner as a long term pieace on their team. I think i may be mistaken i have herd a few of our regular Oiler fans on this site refer to Gagner as a hot and cold player and not really seeing him as one of the young core players the Oil are building around, with this contract maybe Gagner doens't start the year in Edmonton and this is a sign and trade sort of thing? Maybe Gagner and a first rounder for Nash eh Beans??

Posted - 07/24/2012 : 12:22:12 I have no issue with the Oilers giving Gagner a 1-year deal, especially with their improved depth chart.

Gagner will not get 1st line power play minutes with the OIlers this season, unless a number of players ahead of him falter or get injured.

My point is that Gagner has tremendous potential, and I was around when the Oilers gave up on Ray Whitney. I liked Whitney, and I saw his future potential. (Maybe not to the extent which came to be, but I definitely remember being disappointed when they let him go.)

I see similar potential with Gagner, but the fit with the Oilers may not be there, so maybe he becomes part of a future trade, or they lose him without getting anything in return as he finishes up his one year deal.

But it will be interesting to see where Gagner's career is in 3-4 years. I still maintain he will be a point-a-game player, and he could end up being as good as Ray Whitney when his career comes to an end.

While talent usually rules the day, a hockey player's fate is sometimes being in the right place at the right time. For Ray Whitney, going to Florida in 1997 was the best move for him, and the best thing (for Sam Gagner) may be a change of scenery.

Beans15

Posted - 07/24/2012 : 10:57:02 I would agree with you guest, but I fear some of your information is inaccurate regarding Gagner's opportunities. He had legit 2nd line PP time all season. In fact, he had the same total PP time as RNH and Hall. Granted they got more time per game but he had the same amount of minutes on the PP as those guys did.

He is getting every opportunity as the Oilers 2nd lines centre and spent some time on the big line when RNH was hurt. He averaged over 17 minutes a game, which is the same as Eberle, Hall, RNH, and Hemsky. Only Horcoff and Smyth averaged more than 19 min a game and that was mostly due to their main PK duties.

I don't think that Ray Whitney is a good comparison to Gagner for one reason. Whitney never had the opportunity to prove his worth before he got to FLA. Rightly or wrongly, he never had the change. Gagner is going into his 6th pro season. Take away one glorious night against the Blackhawks and last season would have been least productive of his career.

Nope, he get a 1 yr contract because he has had his chances and has not been consistent. The Oilers are looking for more.

Daniel Alfredsson is the MVP of the universe. All hail the Ottawa Senators!!!!!

JOSHUACANADA

Posted - 07/24/2012 : 10:53:50 I agree with the guest. I think a few players on the Oilers would benefit from an address change. I think a culture of winning and increase of ice time would improve his inconsistancy. Put Gagner in Detroit and he would eat up ice time and increase offensive production. He is the type of player Detroit is lacking at the moment. And Detroit's team system would benefit Gagner rather than the wheel of coaches Edmonton has provided him. Even a Florida change would benefit Gagner.

Guest4178

Posted - 07/24/2012 : 10:30:15 Sam Gagner kinda reminds me of a young Ray Whitney, a diminutive forward with good promise, but one who has not come into his own yet.

Whitney was actually an Oiler for a brief period of time, and they let him go for nothing in return. (He was picked up by the Foriday Panthers on waivers in 1997.) Whitney was also a stick boy for the glory day Oilers, and his dad (a cop) was a practice keeper for the Oilers.

Ray Whitney went on to have a very good season with the Panthers (61 points in 68 games), and this unproven small forward went on to become a very good player for years to come. (1003 points in 1229 games.)

At the point Whitney was picked up by the Panthers, he was three years older than Sam Gagner's age today.

So at 25 years of age, Whitney had only played 209 NHL games, tallying 125 points at the time the Panthers picked him up. Gagner is 22 years old, and he has 220 points in 366 games.

I think Gagner has a bright future in the NHL, and given the opportunity, he could be a point-a-game player. He would need to be given first line power play minutes, something which is very unlikely to happen with him playing in Edmonton.

When Ray Whitney made the move to Florida, they immediately gave him first line power play minutes, which is part of the reason for his success. He gained confidence, and he was also able to show off his playmaking skills. (And goal scoring skills too. He scored 12 power play goals that season.)

I know it's not an exact comparison (what is?), but I think Gagner needs to find a team which can give him more ice time, and in particular, time on the power play. The Oilers have too many talented players ahead of Gagner now, including RNH, Hall, Eberle and Hemsky, which prohibits him from power play minutes.

I don't think Gagner is a first line centre, but on the right team, he could be a very good second line centre, and a first line power play quarterback. He's not there yet, but I wouldn't give up on a 22 year old player of his abilities. He has amazing talent, and while an 8-point night in as anomaly (and shows his inconsistency), it is quite an amazing feat. When most people think of inconsistent players, they see them as streaky or not consistently giving 100%, but with Gagner, I think he needs more ice time, and ice time with creative players. Then you will see his promise turn from potential to proven.

Guest8384

Posted - 07/23/2012 : 08:46:41 Slozo

How many players have ever had a 6 point game?

Beans15

Posted - 07/23/2012 : 06:52:03 Slozo, although I agree with you on the pleasing the fans, don't kid yourself into thinking the fans have any loyalty to this guy. After that game there were as many (or more) people talking about trading him than keeping him. Many fans figured that game or stretch of games made him more valuable and were getting on the trade bandwagon really fast.

This contract has very little to do with that one game and more about the season. 18 goals and nearly 50 pts for a 22 yr old shows promise. But the consistency is the issue.

Gagner needs a consistent season, 20+ goals, and at or near 60 pts for him to get a long term agreement. Another 8 pt game would be great to see but would not save him from a departure.

Daniel Alfredsson is the MVP of the universe. All hail the Ottawa Senators!!!!!

slozo

Posted - 07/23/2012 : 06:13:03 Streaky player is the understatement of the year.

Only player that I can think of that has ever had a 6 point or more game, and has never reached 50 points. To me, like I said when he had that 8 point game . . . the Oil are sort of "obligated" to please the fans somewhat after that one game masterpiece, and keep him for a bit before letting him go. So he basically has another year's lease with the Oil . . . or at least until the trade deadline.

Wouldn't it be funny as hell if history repeated itself, and it looks like he's about to get traded when he has another huge game/week statistically? Not out of the realm of possibility with this guy, especially with the other talent on the team . . .

"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug

Guest4315

Posted - 07/20/2012 : 13:57:44 Other than consistency Sam is also missing size. Most teams usually have a least one big top 6 center. Oilers have 2 small top 6 centers. However Sam and Nuge are still very young and will still grow some, be it height and weight for Nuge and probaly only weight for Sam. Good news for Sam is he increased roughly 4% in the face-off circle and had the most goals of his career last season. He also finished for the first time with a + rating. Although he hasn`t been stellar he probaly shouldn`t have been brought into the NHL as soon as he was. Being only 22 though with 300+ NHL games ain`t all bad. I`m pretty sure is second behind only Patrick Kane for points of their draft class. Although that was a pretty bad year.

Beans15

Posted - 07/20/2012 : 13:22:09 I think the Oilers really want Gagner to be part of the plans but he has been very streaky. He goes in a ten game stretch with 12 pt and +6 and then goes 10 games with 2 pts and -3. Inconsistency has been his problem, hence this being his second consecutive 1 yr deal.

Although Gagner did have a career year with 18 goals and just 2 pts behind his career high in pts. But he also had 12 or so of those points in a 3 game hot streak including that 8 pt game. Take that stretch away and he was a less then 40 pt - 2 nd line centre.

If he shows some consistency this year then he will get a long term deal next year. Another thing is both Hall and Eberle are going into the last year in their entry level deals. I think the Oilers brass want to lock those two up long term before committing to Sammy G.

Personally, Gagner could be the player this team needs but he has to do it every night. That's the only thing he is missing.

Daniel Alfredsson is the MVP of the universe. All hail the Ottawa Senators!!!!!

Guest4315

Posted - 07/20/2012 : 12:41:04 Teams usually don't like trading for a guy with only one year on the contract. Maybe Tambo was asking for more years on the contract to line up a trade. Maybe Sam wanted to stay and prove himself. I think if he had signed a 3-4 year deal a trade would be more likely. The Oil don't have a lot of size up front and Sam is an attractive piece to help put together a trade. I would of liked to see Bobby Ryan for Sam + whatever else. I doubt they move him now though.